Motor-compressor support



Dec. 20, 1960 J. WEIBEL, JR 2,965,289

MOTOR-COMPRESSOR SUPPORT Eiled Feb. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. John Weibef, Jr.

Big-

Hls Attorney Dec. 20, 1960 J. WEIBEL, JR 2,965,239

' MOTOR-COMPRESSOR SUPPORT Filed Feb. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ZNVENTOR.

John Weibel, Jr

His Attorney United States Patent MOTOR-COMPRESSOR SUPPORT John Weibel, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 794,281

4 Claims. (Cl. 230-235) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to a mounting of a motor-compressor unit within a sealed casing.

' An object of my invention is to provide an improved, simplified and low cost mounting means for a motorcompressor unit in a sealed casing element of a refrigerating system.

Another object of my invention is to mount an operating means or unit, such as a directly driven combined motor-compressor of a refrigerating system, within a casing for movement relative thereto in several different directions therein so as to reduce or eliminate transmission of noises and vibrations created by the unit to a cabinet in which the casing is supported.

A further object of my invention is to mount a motorcompressor unit within a casing upon a single resilient member at the axis of the motor shaft and to resiliently hold the unit in an upright position in the casing for floating movement therein in all directions, certain of which movements are at timessnubbed and limited in a novel manner.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a casing a substantially U-shaped bracket which has portions at sides of the base of the bracket fixedly attached to a wall of the casing with its base portion spaced from the casing wall and upon which a motor-compressor unit is mounted whereby abnormal bumps or jars of the unit are absorbed by the bracket instead of by the casing proper and wherein the upper end of legs of theU-shaped bracket serve as spring abutments for snubbing or retarding rotary movements of the unit created by starting and stopping operations of the motor and compressor thereof.'

In carrying out the foregoing objects, it is a more specific object of my invention to secure a support or supporting means for a narrow, relatively wide, upright, sealed casing containing a motor-compressor unit mounted on the base portion of a stamped U-shaped sheet metal bracket in the casing at points on a wall thereof directly opposite the points of attachment of the bracket thereto whereby the casing support may be formed of thin gauge metal and yet is strong, rugged and not likely to become damaged during shipment of the casing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: 7 i Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a motorcompressor containing casing of a refrigerant compress-' port for the casing with respect to a mounting bracket therein upon which the motor-compressor unit is mounted.

Referring to the drawings, I show in Figure 1 thereof a motor-compressor unit disposed in a casing which is ordinarily supported on a portion of a portable refrigerator cabinet in the bottom thereof to form an element or part of a closed refrigerating system associated with the refrigerating system for refrigeration in a food storage compartment of the refrigerator cabinet. The sealed casing includes a cylindrical side cup-like metal cover 11 telescoped into and welded about its periphery to another substantially cylindrical side cup-like housing 12 and a support for supporting the casing in an upright position. The point or points of securement of the support to the casing is important in the present disclosure and will be described more in detail hereinafter. The operable unit in the sealed casing comprises an electric motor including a stator 14, a rotor 15 on a shaft 16 provided with an enlarged concentric portion 17 supported by a bearing 18 formed in a cast metal housing 19 of a compressor. The compressor includes opposed cylinders 21, formed in housing 19, and pistons 22 disposed in the cylinders opera tively attached to eccentric portions on shaft 16 by connecting rods 23. Stator 14 rests on spaced bosses provided on the compressor housing 19 and the weight of rotor 15, which drives shaft 16 to reciprocate pistons 22 in the cylinders 21, is supported on bearing 18. Shaft 16 has a concentric bottom end 24 located within a bearing 26 formed in a means or extended lower portion 27 of compressor housing 19. The outer end of each cylinder 21 is closed by a suitable plate 28 and a cast metal head 29. Plates 28 are provided with the usual or conventional refrigerant inlet and outlet valves (not shown). The discharge port of each cylinder of the compressor is connected to one another by a conduit sealed to a wall of housing 12 and leading out of the sealed casing for conveying compressed refrigerant therefrom. While I show a reciprocating type compressor operable by the motor shaft, it is to be understood that this element may, without departing from the invention herein disclosed, be a rotary type compressor or element.

According to my invention and in order to floatingly support the motor-compressor unit within the sealed casing, for limited movement in all directions relative thereto, and so as to dampen the transmission of vibrations and noises to the outer casing from which they may be transferred to and multiplied by parts of a refrigerator cabinet in which the casing is normally located, 1 provide a unique mounting means for the unit. A one piece sheet metal stamping of substantially U-shape is employed as a bracket in the sealed casing to mount the motor-compressor unit at a single point therein, preferably in vertical alignment with the axis of shaft 16 from the lower portion of the casing. The base 31 of this U-shaped mounting bracket is spaced from the sealed casing with portions 32 of the bracket, intermediate legs 33 thereof and the base 31, fixedly attached to a wall of housing 12 by being welded thereto. A single resilient member or coil spring 36, centered on the axis of shaft 16, is disposed between a bottom part of the motor-compressor unit and base 31 of the U-shaped bracket for resiliently supporting the unit. Resilient member or coil spring 36 surrounds a part of the lower portion 27 of housing 19 providing the bearing forming means of bearing 26. Base portion 31 of the U-shaped mounting bracket has a" plurality of upstanding'prm jections 37 punched thereform or formed integrally thereon for preventing sidewise or lateral shifting movement of spring 36 relative to the bracket. The upper end of legs 33 of the U-shaped bracket has anear 38 bent therefrom providing a spring abutment thereon, and an upper part of housing 19 at two sides thereof has a projection 39 paralleling and spaced from an ear 38 (see Figure 2). A coil spring 41 is clamped under slight compression between the ears 38 and projections 39 in any suitable or conventional manner to resiliently position or hold the unit in an upright plane within the sealed casing on the single resilient member or coil spring 36. A bumper orstop plate 42 welded to the top portionof housing 12 of the sealed casing has an opening therein which receives the upper end of motor. shaft 16 to arrest or limit abnormal swinging movements of the motor-compressor unit within the casing. I provide a support for the sealed casing and its content which is adapted to be bolted upon a mounting part within the machine compartment of a refrigerator cabinet This support in the present disclosure is in the form of separate spaced apart metal feet 43 each having an integral bent or curved end part 44 which is secured, such as being welded, to a wall of housing 12 of the sealed casing at a point thereon directly opposite the attachment of the portions 32 of the U-shaped bracket thereto. By employing a U-shaped bracket for mounting the motor-compressor unit within the sealed casing and utilizing legs of the bracket as abutments for springs, I eliminate the necessity of welding or securing separate spring clips or abutments on walls of the casing. Furthermore, by spacing the base 31 of the U-shaped bracket from a wall of the casing and supporting, the weight of the motor-compressor unit thereon, this base portion of the bracket inherently has some resiliency which tends: to absorb and relieve the casing of abnormal jars by the unit therein during shipment or transportation of a refrigerator cabinet containing the casing. The securement of the ends 44 of the casing support means at points on the casing opposite and in the vicinity of attachment of portions 32 of the U-shaped bracketto the casing forms a rigid support with a minimum thicknessof metal for the weight of the casing and its content which is not likely to become damaged or broken.

As before stated, the motor-compressor unit within-the: sealed casing is intermittently started and stopped. As the rotor 15 starts to be revolved, upon energizing the electric motor, and/or as the same stops revolving, rotor 15 together with shaft 16 imparts a torque force to the motor-compressor unit which tends to rotate the unit within and relative to the casing. This rotary movement of the unit with respect to the casing is snubbed and restricted by springs 41 whereby the: springs limit such movement to an arc of a predetermined length. By so restricting the rotary movement of the motor-compressor unit within the sealed casing, uponstarting and stopping the motor thereof, the unit does not strike the casing and create a bumping or clicking noise. The location and arrangement of the pair of springs 41-is such as to permit an initial slight rotary movement of the unit whereafter such movementis arrested by the springswhich springs 41 then return the unit to its normal position. The mounting of the motor-compressor unit asdisclosed is such that operation thereof during a running cycle of the unit may cause up and down vibrations or movements of the unit on its single mounting member or coil spring 36, and this member snubs such movements to prevent vibrations of theunit from being transferred to the sealed casing. These movements of a' motor-compressor unit fioatingly mounted within a easing are normal, and noises created thereby are suppressed or diminished and prevented from being transferred, to the casing, and consequently they arenot increased or: multiplied; by wall, portions ina cabinet housing. theeasing. The construction and arrangement of the single resilient mounting member for the motor-compressor unit is such that it cooperates with the stop plate 42 to prevent a sudden bump or jar imparted to the refrigerator cabinet or to the sealed casing from shifting the member sidewise off the U-shaped bracket, and this bracket by virtue of its construction and location together with having its base 31 spaced from a wall of the casing readily absorbs the bump without damage to parts of the unit or itsmounting means.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that I have provided a simplified and improved mounting for a motor-compressor unitto resiliently and floatingly support same within a sealed casing. Also by my improved mounting, the motor-compressor unit is supported in the casing for normal or desired movements therein in all directions during starting and stopping cycles of the motor thereof. The location and arrangement of mounting parts for the unit within the casing in addition to effectively absorbing bumps and jars of the unit during shipment or transportation of the casing in a refrigerator cabinet also holds or maintains the motor-compressor unit in its proper spaced position therein to provide a quiet and smooth operating mechanism after installation of the refrigerator at a place of use thereof.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a sealed casing having means supporting said casing in an upright position with the axis of said casing disposed in a horizontal plane, a vertical motorcompressor unit in said casing, the compressor of said unit being operable by a shaft of the motor thereof, means for mounting said unit from the lower part of said casing, said mounting means comprising a substantially U-shaped upright bracket opening upwardly and having a portion of the base thereof located below said unit and spaced above said-lower part of-said casing with portions of said bracket intermediate its legs and its base secured to said casing, and resilient means supporting said unit on said base of said bracket concentric with the axis of said shaft, the legs of said U-shaped bracket extending freely upwardly within said casing, said unit having projections adjacent the upper extensions of said legs, and means interposed between the legs of said bracket and said unit projections for resiliently holding said shaft in a right-angled position with respect to the horizontal axis of said casing.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 wherein the supporting means for the sealed casing contacts said casing only atspaced-apart points directly opposite the securement points of the portions of the U-shaped bracket to" said casing.

3. In combination, a sealed cylindrical casing having means supporting said casing in an upright position with the axis of said casing disposed in a horizontal plane, a vertical motor-compressor unit in said casing. the compressorof said unit being operable by a shaft of the motor thereof, said compressor having means forming a bearing concentric with said motor shaft, the bottom end ofsaid shaft being rotatablein saidbearing, means for mounting said unit from the lower part of said casing, said mounting means comprising a substantially U-shaped upright bracket opening upwardly and having a portion of the base thereof located below said unit and spaced above said lower part of sa'id casing with portions of said bracket intermediate itslegs' and its base secured to said casing.

and a single coil spring surrounding a part of said bearing compressively locked between said portion of said bracket and said unit to center said spring at the axis of said shaft and to support said unit on said bracket base, the legs. of

saidU-shaped bracket extending freely upwardly within s'aidca'sing'above' the axis-thereof, said unit having projec 75 tions, adjacent the upper extensions ofsaid legs, and,

2,965,289 5 6 means interposed between the legs of said bracket and References Cited in the file of this patent said unit projections for resiliently holding said shaft in a right-angled position with respect to the horizontal axis UNITED STATES PATENTS of said cylindrical casing. 976,063 Gibson et al. Nov. 15, 1910 4. The combination defined by claim 3 wherein the 5 2,040,507 Terry May 12, 1936 supporting means for the upright cylindrical sealed casing 2,233,082 Kucher Feb. 25, 1941 contacts said casing only at spaced-apart points directly 2,349,845 Cody May 30, 1944 opposite the securement points of the portions of the U- 2,463,035 Heitchue Mar. 1, 1949 shaped bracket to said casing. 2,857,746 Philipp Oct. 28, 1958 

